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The Price: £1,200 The Philosophy: Reliability (and a bit of character).

Richard Hammond did what any sensible person would do: he bought a box. Specifically, a beige 1963 Opel Kadett.

He named it Oliver.

While Clarkson was dealing with electrical gremlins and May was struggling with comfort, Oliver just kept going. The little Opel became a character in its own right. It survived the salt pans, it survived the river crossing (after a lot of drying out), and it survived Hammond’s emotional attachment.

We all remember the heartbreak on Hammond’s face when he thought he’d lost Oliver to the river. And we all remember the joy when he bought the car back from the crew and shipped it to the UK. Oliver is perhaps the only car from a cheap car challenge to become a permanent celebrity, eventually appearing on The Grand Tour and making appearances at car shows. It proved that old Japanese-German reliability beats Italian flair any day of the week.

Top Gear’s Botswana special featured three cars chosen to tackle rough roads and remote terrain while delivering entertainment and challenge. Below are concise details, strengths, and practical notes for each vehicle as used on the episode.

The Top Gear Botswana cars transcended their roles as vehicles. They became characters. Lancia provided the tragic hero; Opel provided the plucky sidekick; Mercedes provided the wise old man.

Sixteen years later, the image of three men pushing a flaming Lancia across a white salt flat remains the definitive image of old-school television motoring. It wasn't about speed; it was about survival. And as long as Richard Hammond keeps Oliver running in his garage, the spirit of that Botswana road trip will never die.

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The Top Gear Botswana Special (Series 10, Episode 4), originally aired in 2007, marked a turning point for the show as its first "Special" to follow the format of buying used cars for a cross-country trek. The episode was designed to disprove the idea that modern SUVs are necessary for light off-roading by challenging the hosts to cross 1,000 miles of African terrain in cheap, two-wheel-drive cars. The Presenters' Vehicles

Each presenter was given a budget of £1,500 to purchase a car that had no off-road pedigree. 1963 Opel Kadett

(Richard Hammond): Nicknamed "Oliver," this car became a fan favorite. Hammond chose it for its simplicity, though it initially suffered from a leaking fuel tank and brakes that only worked on one wheel. It was the only car not to be significantly modified or "lightened" to cross the salt pans. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E top gear botswana cars

(James May): May selected the Mercedes because it was a vehicle "Africa favored and loved". Known for its durability and old-school German engineering, it quietly completed the journey with minimal issues compared to the others. 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé

(Jeremy Clarkson): Clarkson chose the Lancia based on the brand's rally heritage. It was the most unreliable vehicle of the trio, suffering from broken dials, failed components, and frequent starting issues that famously caused "African Stig" to walk away from it during a lap test. The Back-Up Car

If a presenter's car broke down and could not be repaired, they were forced to drive the Volkswagen Beetle

. This was chosen because it is the presenters' collective "least favorite car of all time". Journey and Challenges

The route spanned 1,000 miles from the border of Zimbabwe to the border of Namibia.

Makgadikgadi Salt Pans: The cars had to cross one of the world's largest salt flats. To prevent breaking through the thin crust into the mud beneath, the hosts stripped their cars of all non-essential weight, including interior trim and even doors.

Okavango Delta: The final leg required driving through the brush of the delta, facing threats from local wildlife and deep water crossings. Legacy of the Cars The Botswana Adventure Part 1 | Top Gear

Top Gear Botswana Special is widely considered one of the show's most iconic episodes. The challenge required Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May to buy a used car in Africa for less than ($2,000) that was strictly two-wheel drive and not designed for off-road use.

Their 1,000-mile journey from the Zimbabwe border to the Namibia border took them across the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans Okavango Delta The Presenters' Cars

The trio selected vehicles they believed could outperform modern SUVs in "leafy country lanes". Engine / Specs Why It Was Chosen 1963 Opel Kadett Richard Hammond 1.0L, 40hp

Chosen for no specific reason, but became a fan favorite nicknamed " 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E The Price: £1,200 The Philosophy: Reliability (and a

Chosen for Mercedes' legendary reputation for reliability across Africa. 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé Jeremy Clarkson 2.0L (Automatic)

Chosen because Lancias were historically successful rally cars. Performance and Modifications

To survive the treacherous salt pans, where heavy cars risk breaking through the crust into primeval ooze, the team had to make drastic changes.

The 2007 Botswana Special (Series 10, Episode 4) is widely regarded by fans and critics as one of the show's greatest achievements. The challenge required Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May to cross 1,000 miles of rugged terrain—from the Zimbabwean border to Namibia—using only two-wheel-drive cars bought in Africa for less than £1,500. The Cars and Their Performance

Each presenter chose a vehicle that surprisingly reflected their personality and faced unique mechanical trials: 1963 Opel Kadett ("Oliver") – Richard Hammond

Performance: The lightest and most agile of the trio. It crossed the Makgadikgadi salt pans without needing to be stripped of its interior, unlike the other two.

Reliability: Mostly dependable, though it nearly "drowned" during a river crossing and suffered a broken steering rack after hitting a tree root.

Fate: Hammond became so attached to "Oliver" that he shipped it back to the UK, where he still owns it and has since fully restored it. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E – James May

Performance: Chosen for its legendary reputation for ruggedness in Africa. It was the most comfortable but heavy, requiring May to strip it down to a bare shell to avoid sinking in the salt pans.

Reliability: Exceptionally reliable; it finished the trip with almost no major mechanical failures.

Fate: Initially left in Botswana, it was rediscovered in Maun years later and reunited with May in the final Grand Tour special, "One for the Road". 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé – Jeremy Clarkson If you enjoyed this article, check out our

Performance: An unusual choice based on Lancia’s rally heritage, but it proved to be a "basket case" from the start.

Reliability: The most unreliable car on the trip, suffering from broken dials, multiple engine stalls, a jammed throttle, failing brakes, and a broken starter solenoid. It finished the trip by crashing into May's Mercedes because it had no brakes.

Fate: Long thought scrapped, the original car was found on blocks in Botswana by fans in 2021. Clarkson was reunited with it during his final filming in 2024. Key Challenges and Modifications

The journey's difficulty forced "ridiculous as they were necessary" modifications:

The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans: To avoid sinking, Clarkson and May had to remove doors, windows, and seats.

Animal Proofing: For the Okavango Delta, cars were "fortified" with wood, corrugated metal, and even soda cans to deter predators.

The Backup Car: The producers provided a Volkswagen Beetle, which the trio despised. Ironically, it was the only car that never broke down once during the entire 1,000-mile journey. Final Verdict

Reviewers praise the special for its genuine sense of adventure and the rare emotional bond formed between the hosts and their "budget bangers". It transitioned the show from a standard motoring program to an iconic travelogue-comedy format.

Top Gear Botswana Special is widely considered the episode that defined the show’s legendary "special" format. Tasked with crossing 1,000 miles of African terrain in two-wheel-drive cars bought for under £1,500, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May chose vehicles that became more than just machines—they became characters with their own distinct narratives. The Three Contenders

The Top Gear Botswana Special is widely considered one of the greatest automotive adventures ever filmed. First aired in November 2007, it followed Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May as they attempted to cross Botswana in three two-wheel-drive cars bought for less than £1,500. Their mission: to prove that simple, used cars could be better suited for rugged terrain than modern "Chelsea Tractors" (SUVs). The Three Main Contenders

The presenters chose vastly different vehicles to tackle the 1,000-mile journey from the Zimbabwe border to the Namibian border.

Conclusion: Best overall choice for Botswana overland travel; strong blend of capability and serviceability.